Tony Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 i got in last night as well. trip home was very smooth. made it just under 12 hours. total miles for my trip was 4,625 miles. im currently uploading pics as well, but i shot over 400, so its going to be a trickle of pics every so often.. i was in South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. i saw Mountain goats, Buffalo, Elk, Antelope, Jack rabitts, Black Bear, Mule Deer and 4 Moose, 1 in Idaho and 3 in Grand Teton Park. i was in Western Wyoming so much, that i know it pretty good now. im going to try and put it all together in my Wyoming blog, but its going to take time. i had a great time out there and it was fun to hunt with ken and robert. everyone out there can shoot, but its just a tad more difficult when the moneys on the line so to speak. we had the usual tricks in camp, the elk call got robert and i believe there were some comments about me getting out of the truck to check on a rear tire. problem was, steve was going to drive away. so when anyone was cutting up, they were asked to go and check the tires. Steve made ribs one night and they were excellent. i think me and ken had 2 full racks each.. there goes my diet. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Wyoming Pics first pic is a Moose in Grand Teton national park. next is Old Faitthfull in Yellowstone national park. next is a Buffalo i saw off the side of the road about a 1/4 mile and i stalked up to him. sure it was easy, but im kind of glad he wasnt mad. last is a pic i shot of a Mulie Doe on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway NW of Cody Wyoming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Welcome home Tony. Good to see you had a safe trip buddy. It sounds like you had a wonderful trip. I can't wait to see more pictures. we had the usual tricks in camp, the elk call got robert :D Nice to see I'm not alone...LOL He got me in Colorado. I'm a sucker for new game calls...LMBO:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 more pics 1st Cloud Peak Scenic Byway looking towards Buffalo Wyoming 2nd. Devils Tower in Eastern Wyoming 3rd Grand Prismatic hot spring at dusk in Yellowstone 4th Teton Mountains in Grand Teton national park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 What I loved is the diversity down there. Awesome pictures Tony ..awesome !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Glad you both made it back home safe!!! Great pic's Tony...you've got a great eye! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamphunter Posted September 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Tony did you here from Robert yet?? Last I ehard he sent me a message saying he was three hrs from home. That was late last night.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Some great pics there Tony. Looking forward to seeing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Tony did you here from Robert yet?? Last I ehard he sent me a message saying he was three hrs from home. That was late last night.... no nothing yet? i sent him a text but havent heard anyhting either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Beautiful pictures, Tony! Glad the hunt was a success. Those antelope certainly are a challenge. I wish I could have returned to join you this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 more pics.. Smoke in the Yellowstone mountains NE entrance Cloud Peak near Ten Sleep Wyoming Granite Pass on the Big Horn scenic byway in the Big Horn Mountains this big muley lives in Gillette near my hotel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskybnd Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 well i made it back home about 7 am this morning, seems like it was a long trip, but one i would gladly make again, and like ken was saying hunting antalope is different than any thing i have done, and any one thinking about going i would say to you bring plenty of water, and unsented sun screen if they make it, couse you are going to get hot and thirsty with that sun beating down on you. it was turly a hunt of a life time for me. and couldnt have been more pleased with it. Steve and rilda as i have meet many people throught out my life some just stand head and shoulders above the rest and you and your wife are one's that do, your hospitality and gererousity is unsurpassed, i feel blessed to have had the oppertunity to meet you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 thank you, robert. we had lots of fun. now, for the luke skywalker award contendees. as you know, 4 of the honey creek outdoors crew showed up yesterday. this morning, very early, the big swampy buck was bedded at 36 yards. we actually had to wait 15 minutes to get enough light to film the "hunt". dakota was our shooter. so, we crawled 5 yards to the top of the hill, just like with ken. there he was, quartering away in his bed. we ranged him at 36 yards. dakota asked should he use his 30 or 40 yard pin. i suggested the 40 and he sent an arrow right over his back. we jumped into the truck and down the drive (500 feet) and dakota got about a 30 yard shot and missed again. that boy ran away now. maybe he'll be back in a few days. later, dakota missed a doe and is really shaken up. like everyone else, he's trying to figgure out how he missed and i'm no help. so i put him and jana in buckee's blind and told him to let jana shoot and he film. i'll let him sleep on it and we get him one tomarrow. at 3 pm, a herd walked into water on chad's blind and he's getting cut up as we speak. lot's of grins around this place..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) I told Dakota those Antelope aren't going to be easy targets ... It's down right nerve racking at times .. but I think you have said it the best Steve, poor Dakota needs to just let sleep this one off and start fresh the next day .. We are pulling for ya little buddy, just listen to Steve and you'll be fine .. I'll get redemption someday, and this time I'll have more than a couple of days to hunt .. Good Luck to the Honey Creek Outdoors Crew .. And SteveB. you needing any coffee out there yet ?? .. I'll add this little tidbit and see if any of the other shooters agree with me ... On a 36 yard shot with pins being set at 10 yrd. incriments I would have GAP shot the 30 and 40 yrd pins .. JHMO .. Edited September 7, 2009 by VermontHunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I'll add this little tidbit and see if any of the other shooters agree with me ... On a 36 yard shot with pins being set at 10 yrd. incriments I would have GAP shot the 30 and 40 yrd pins .. JHMO .. Only if the shooter practices those shots IMHO. Personally I practice "HoldOver"...I would have used my 30yd pin and held it right on the back of the animal. P.S. Steve...If you would please tell Dakota I wish him luck;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Hey, Dakota Skywalker! :clown: Hope you have better luck tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamphunter Posted September 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 (edited) My experience at Steve B's Well, now that the dust has settled and I am home, I thought I would speak a bit about my experience hunting with Tony, Robert and Steve. I fortunately enough spent a week in camp with Robert and not only do I feel that Robert is a good and accomplished hunter and archer, he is one man that I would also easily call my friend. A very down to earth guy with a good sense of humor, and he doesn't have a problems dishing out a jab if he feels like you need one. He seemed to feel I needed a lot of them.... :clown: He seemed concerned about everyone else, and is a very nice person to spend time at hunting camp with. Tony stayed at a local motel and hunted with us a few of the days. Tony was a wealth of information regarding archery and hunting gear, and also on archery related topics. The man knows his bows....Tony is very down to earth also, and great to hunt with. Steve, Rilda and Randean are awesome hosts! Robert and I were both strangers to the Beilgards and they opened their home to us, and treated us like family. By the end of the week, I knew that I had spent time with probably one of the nicest families involved in outfitting that you can find. Their main concern was the comfort and enjoyment of the hunters in camp. Steve likes to pick, and that has definitely wore off on his daughter Randean, because she did not mind giving a poke to a nameless bowhunter that had a couple of misses under his belt. :hammer1: Overall, just a terrific family and hopefully I will be invited back one day.. My experience hunting was awesome. It doesn't matter how good you may feel you are at targets or whitetails.... antelope are an entirely different game. I under estimated this animal and to be quite honest, had no idea how wary and fast they are. I thought this was going to be me sitting in a blind over a water hole, shooting an unsuspecting P&Y animal at 20 yds, and then watching it fall dead within sight of the blind. Wrong.... Remember they got to be Pope and Young by growing old..... Where back home I am used to sitting in a heavy foilaged area, with a treestand high above the ground looking down several shooting lanes that I had cut to kill a whitetail. I soon found out this was a lot different. Antelope have binocular vision according to Steve the entire time they are at the water hole, their senses are on high alert. With numerous does watching at any given time, it is VERY hard to come to full draw and make the shot without messing up. At 40 yards I had an antelope that was looking in my direction jump the string and the arrow slide on past him harmlessly. I could not figure out how with my arrow speed that was possible, but Steve explained to me that the animal while at the water hole with its head down, was watching me with those huge eyes as they are suspicious of the blinds. The second he heard the release of the arrow and saw the movement he jumped and it was just enough my arrow stuck in the ground behind him. There is a lot of pressure when you spend a lot of time, effort, money and vacation time getting out there and wanting to kill an animal and bring home the meat. When you come to full draw, and have a miss, you really get rattled. Nerves come in to play and then you try to play catch up, by scoring the next time. The next time may be a shot at 40 yards, and accompany the wind factor into it and you can have a somewhat tough shot. The land being so open, with very little identifying marks ot judge range, it is really tough if you don't range an animal before every shot. I got rattled with my two misses, as I had a boy at home that wanted Daddy to score, and an outfitter that I wanted to show I could get the job done, with relative ease. With getting rattled, the pressure only builds more and its a snowball effect on your performance. I DID NOT perform like I am capable of and that reflected in my misses and even in my kill itself. My wife knowing of my misfortune asked me what was happening as she has seen me shoot and bring home animal after animal year after year. I told her I could not explain it, other than the distance I traveled and the antelope being a much different animal than a whitetail made me realize I was in for a bit more than I had bargained for. Next time I will definitely be more prepared and hopefully slip an arrow through the vitals of the first P&Y animal that walks to within 50 yards. Remember if you plan to hunt at Steve B's...if you going to sit over the water holes, it may be 20 yards to your side of the water hole, but may be 50 yards across the water where the animal is, with the wind factored in...I look at it this way... if Tony can miss...anyone can miss! LOL If you guys have doubts, look at all the archery hunters that have been there and factor in how many of us missed and how many of us said it is tougher than it appears... LOL anyways here are my pics. My home for the week My rack Robert and Tony Steve View out my blind Does My buck on Tuesday, the first time I saw him (no shot opportunity) Buck 1 - me 0 Me roasting Sunrise Couple of does Steve B demonstrating how to call Robert going to give it a try Roberts try....:hammer1: Tony Me All of us with Steve's grandson My Wednesday sighting He bed down at 173 yards (just a wee bit out of my effective range) Buck 2 - me 0 Look at those eyes My Thursday sighting at 110 yards - this was the night I watched him while he rattled my nerves for an hour. He finally gave me a shot at 40 yards this evening when he came to water, but he jumped the string... Buck 3 - me 0 My new blind set-up hopefully to intercept that buck Does coming in - the ones that ultimately led him to me My Friday sighting - day 4 about 80-100 yards following those does (the day he made a mistake) Buck 3 - me 1!!!! Roberts buck with mine Scenery All bucks Tonys buck Robert Edited September 8, 2009 by Swamphunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 WOW Ken! :jaw: Great story and pictures!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 GREAT story, GREAT pics, and best of all CONGRATS on an awsome trophy ,, And now you understand my misses first hand ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Thanks for sharing your Hunt with us Ken...Looks like an Awesome time!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobblerdad Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Hang in there Dakota! Mom and Dad are pulling for you! Be patient, you'll get just the right one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Hang in there Dakota! Mom and Dad are pulling for you! Be patient, you'll get just the right one! He'll get it done dad ... He just needs to shake off those jitters .. He'll be better prepared for tomarrows hunt .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I'm so happy for you guys. I feel like I'm there again. :) Great Pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2008 Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 The pictures and stories are just amazing. The hunting looked fantastic. I hope Dakota has just as great success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Great stories and pictures! Dakota, leave the "buck fever" in the bed! LOL!! I am so glad to hear you are seeing enjoying this hunt! Don't let it bug you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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